Plans for gin and vodka distillery in Clifton

Clifton will be the site of a major gin and vodka distillery if plans lodged this week are approved.

Alcohols Limited, a family-owned business that has been operating since 1805, wants to build a facility covering about 4,000 sq m on land next to the A5 to the north-east of the village.

As well as distilling drinks such as London Dry Gin, Alcohols Limited produces chemicals for purposes including pharmaceuticals, flavourings, industrial cleaning and car maintenance.

A document submitted by the company to accompany its planning application states: “The applicant currently operates a gin distillery and industrial alcohols storage business and trades from three sites: Langley Green in the West Midlands, Bishop’s Stortford in Hertfordshire and Tottenham, London.

“The applicant is looking to consolidate its operation and invest in state-of-the-art facilities as some of its existing premises are outdated and obsolete. As such, an extensive search process has resulted in the identification of the application site as suitable for the proposed development, and would allow the applicant to bring all of its operations together into one larger facility.”

The site has historically been used for sand and gravel workings. It is 130m from the closest property and near the current Europark industrial estate.

Rugby Borough Council will decide in the coming months whether to grant permission for the distillery.